"I am a shame..." A qualitative field study of the prevalence of teenage pregnancy within two Burundian refugee camps in Tanzania

• Main Author: Roxberg, Märta
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Malmö högskola, Institutionen för globala politiska studier (GPS) 2007
• Subjects: teenage pregnancy; refugee camp; Tanzania; reproductive health; Social Sciences; Samhällsvetenskap
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22330

Evidence points to that the prevalence of teenage pregnancies is higher within refugee camps than elsewhere. Yet little research attention has been given the subject of teenage pregnancy within refugee situations where the numbers are steadily increasing, an area that therefore needs to be explored further. This thesis is based on a qualitative field study conducted within two Burundian refugee camps in Tanzania, Nduta and Kanembwa. Semi structured interviews were conducted with both teen mothers and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Bloc leader with knowledge in the area in order to investigate the reasons for and implications of teenage pregnancy within a refugee setting. The research question is why the prevalence of teenage pregnancy is higher within a refugee context. And what can be done to empower young mothers with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and to successfully claim their reproductive and sexual rights? The findings of the study points to that similar factors contributing to teenage pregnancy such as education, culture, poverty and unstable family relations are also applicable in a refugee situation. Conditions within refugee camps are however more extreme and the prevalence are therefore higher than in other settings. Taking a Liberal feminist standpoint based on the ideas of Amartyra Sen (1999) it is argued that the empowerment of women’s free agency and wellbeing is the key to a decline in fertility rate amongst teen mothers in refugee camps. Thus it follows that if women are to successfully claim their sexual and reproductive rights more efforts needs to be made in promoting the inclusion of women into educational and vocational activities.